Suspect’s self-inflicted gunshot wound ends 5-hour standoff with police near Belleville

A St. Louis man has been charged with numerous crimes, including four counts of attempted first-degree murder, after shooting at St. Clair County Sheriff’s deputies during an overnight standoff Thursday.

Dion Flenoid, 30, of the 1300 block of Union Blvd. in St. Louis, is in police custody at a St. Louis area hospital as he recovers from an apparent self-inflicted wound, according to a sheriff’s department release. In addition to the attempted murder counts, he has been charged with two counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm at a police officer and three counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm.

Bond has been set at $1 million.

An sheriff’s deputy who was hit by flying debris after shots were fired was treated at the scene for minor injuries.

According to St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department Capt. Bruce Fleshren, deputies were dispatched to a reported domestic disturbance in the 100 block of Bradford Place shortly after midnight. As they approached the apartment, shots were fired from the inside through the front door.

Both deputies retreated as a female ran out of the apartment, Fleshren said in a release.

Flenoid briefly exited as well, but was armed and did not surrender, the release stated. He re-entered the home and fired shots at members a tactical response team that included sheriff’s deputies and Belleville police officers.

None were hit, Fleshren said.

Officers from Smithton and Freeburg also assisted at the scene.

Bradford Place is an apartment complex near the intersection of Carlyle Avenue and Greenmount Road, east of the Belleville city limit.

When officers were able to enter the home at approximately 5 a.m., they found Flenoid with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was transported by Arch Helicopter to a St. Louis hospital where he remains. His condition has not been released.

Gloria Bullock, who lives in the apartment complex, said she heard the commotion and saw the law enforcement vehicles outside her building. She said officers announced their arrival over a loud speaker.

“We didn’t know what was going on until we heard police announce over the speaker and said they were wanting whoever was in the building,” Bullock said. “They never did, it was like six hours. It just escalated from there.”

Bullock said she heard “four gunshots” and saw officers on the tactical unit team break down the door with a “battering ram.”

Bullock said nothing about her neighbors had seemed suspicious and that everything about Thursday morning’s standoff is “brand new.”

The investigation is still on-going according to the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department.

This story was originally published August 11, 2022 at 12:01 PM.